Dating as a Way to Make Friends
Jane Saeman asked:
Many people on the dating scene today aren’t there to find “the one” person that they want to settle down with for the rest of their lives. Dating is now a standardized term used for social networking. Although the word implies that those who embark on a dating experience are doing so with romance in mind, the reality is that for most people who date people who have similar interests to their own are more likely to meet again socially with nothing more than a friendship in mind.
While this isn’t so good for anyone who is looking for romance with a view to a long-term monogamous relationship, it’s a positive change to the way that dating has been perceived in the past. At one time there was a lot of anxiety placed on anyone preparing for ‘a date’. They wanted to make a perfect first impression because they wanted their date to like them. They were looking for romance and hoped to find it.
In today’s dating scene, there may well be an underlying hope that one day the romance button may be clicked when meeting someone in a dating situation, but generally expectations are lower with most people looking to just enjoy themselves with someone that they think they have enough sufficient interests in common with to relax and have a little fun. This takes the pressure off the date and allows true personalities to shine rather than ones that are edged with a “best behavior” hang-up!
Western culture in particular is increasingly moving towards a trend of increased work ethic where single people, especially those following a career path, have little time for a serious relationship. The more informal dating rules allow people who are working towards their professional goals a release to get out socially (although some choose their dates selectively in order to use this as a networking opportunity as well as a social one!) and meet with people outside of their professional environment.
There are also an increasing number of people on the dating scene who have been seriously hurt in a previous relationship. They also are looking to connect with others, but they aren’t necessarily ready to entrust their feelings to anyone else at this time. Retired people who have lost their life partner are also among those who are initially looking for friendship rather than romance from a dating experience.
This doesn’t mean however that informal dating doesn’t lead to romance. There’s many a relationship that has started out as one thing and ended as something else. Any long-lasting permanent relationship needs a number of foundation stones that will hold it together during difficult times and one of these is friendship.
If you can find someone whom you like, and trust as a friend, and this relationship grows into a romantic one, then this relationship has a much stronger chance of surviving the long-haul than one that starts with a romantic spark which then fizzles out because there’s nothing else holding it together.
Many people on the dating scene today aren’t there to find “the one” person that they want to settle down with for the rest of their lives. Dating is now a standardized term used for social networking. Although the word implies that those who embark on a dating experience are doing so with romance in mind, the reality is that for most people who date people who have similar interests to their own are more likely to meet again socially with nothing more than a friendship in mind.
While this isn’t so good for anyone who is looking for romance with a view to a long-term monogamous relationship, it’s a positive change to the way that dating has been perceived in the past. At one time there was a lot of anxiety placed on anyone preparing for ‘a date’. They wanted to make a perfect first impression because they wanted their date to like them. They were looking for romance and hoped to find it.
In today’s dating scene, there may well be an underlying hope that one day the romance button may be clicked when meeting someone in a dating situation, but generally expectations are lower with most people looking to just enjoy themselves with someone that they think they have enough sufficient interests in common with to relax and have a little fun. This takes the pressure off the date and allows true personalities to shine rather than ones that are edged with a “best behavior” hang-up!
Western culture in particular is increasingly moving towards a trend of increased work ethic where single people, especially those following a career path, have little time for a serious relationship. The more informal dating rules allow people who are working towards their professional goals a release to get out socially (although some choose their dates selectively in order to use this as a networking opportunity as well as a social one!) and meet with people outside of their professional environment.
There are also an increasing number of people on the dating scene who have been seriously hurt in a previous relationship. They also are looking to connect with others, but they aren’t necessarily ready to entrust their feelings to anyone else at this time. Retired people who have lost their life partner are also among those who are initially looking for friendship rather than romance from a dating experience.
This doesn’t mean however that informal dating doesn’t lead to romance. There’s many a relationship that has started out as one thing and ended as something else. Any long-lasting permanent relationship needs a number of foundation stones that will hold it together during difficult times and one of these is friendship.
If you can find someone whom you like, and trust as a friend, and this relationship grows into a romantic one, then this relationship has a much stronger chance of surviving the long-haul than one that starts with a romantic spark which then fizzles out because there’s nothing else holding it together.
Help Kids Make Friends – What Can Parents Do to Guide the Social Development of Children?
October 24, 2009 by admin
Filed under Uncategorized
Judy H. Wright aka Auntie Artichoke, family relationship coach asked:
Making friends is a skill, just like playing the piano or riding a bike. Skills can be learned and behaviors can be changed. While it may require more effort for some people to be comfortable in groups, it can be learned, especially if the child is willing to put forth the effort and knows that she has your support.
Be sure to encourage a child’s positive efforts to get along with peers and to find a friend, even when it appears that such attempts are not meeting with success. Remind her of the fine qualities that she has that will add to the friendship when just the right person comes along.
Another reminder is that making just the right friend for her may take some time and not to give up. Help her to see what she has to offer as a friend. For example, you might say: “I really appreciate it when my friends call me and invite me places. It makes me feel welcome and accepted. Even on the times when I am not able to go, I still feel good to know they thought of me. That is why I treat them with kindness and respect, because that is how I want to be treated.”
In my workshops I find it helpful to make a list of what people look for in a friend. You may want to make such a list with your child. After brainstorming it is easy to include such things as:
• Trustworthy
• Kind and compassionate
• Willing to share happy and sad times
• Loyal, will watch my back
• Sense of humor
• Positive attitude, upbeat
• Similar interests
• Fun to be with
• Not be too possessive or needy
• Cooperative
• Enjoys being with me
If you look at the list, almost never does it include psychical attributes, they are all character traits and inner personal skills. If we don’t have those skills, we can work on obtaining them by practicing a little each day until it becomes automatic action. It is this attitude of openness and willingness to share that is communicated to those we would like to be our friends.
The irony is that people, young and old, tend to blame outward appearances for lack of friends, when it is the inward attitudes and character traits that are longed for in friendship. We are not searching for lovely nearly as much as loyalty in a companion and buddy.
When we realize that it is not our big ears, speech impediment or color of skin that stops others from befriending us, as much as it is how we treat others and feel about ourselves, we will have more to offer a friendship. As you encourage making a list of what the child is looking for in a friend, be sure to mention that appearances may be deceiving. She may very well know many in her class who are also looking for just the right person to hang around with.
Hopefully, your child will draw her own conclusions that she is a valuable person and has much to bring to a relationship. And likewise, there may very well be many people who meet the criteria of a friend that she has been overlooking.
It is more empowering for a child to list her own positive qualities that will make her a valuable friend than for you to do it for her. This is her work, but you are the support team. You cannot make your child happy, popular, talented or attractive to other children. If you think you can, you will be setting both of you up for disappointment and a great deal of frustration.
What you can do is offer her suggestions, assistance, opportunities and options. Hopefully, she will recognize the clues of social interaction and ‘click’ with a good group of friends who will support her in her school years and become life long buddies.
How you manage social situations affects the way your children view social interaction. If you have meaningful relationships that add pleasure to your life, they will see that and want to have the same thing.
I also do Confidence Coaching for young adults (8 to 18) Call me for more information.
© 2008 by Judy H. Wright, Parent Educator, Author and international speaker on family relations. Ph: 406.549.9813 You may reprint this article, but please keep the contact information and content intact.
For Free articles and to sign up for the e-zine The Artichoke-finding the heart of the story in the journey of life please go to www.ArtichokePress.com You will also find a full listing of books, workshops, and Free teleclasses held every Thursday on family relationship issues.
For a free eBook on non verbal and verbal communication go to
Making friends is a skill, just like playing the piano or riding a bike. Skills can be learned and behaviors can be changed. While it may require more effort for some people to be comfortable in groups, it can be learned, especially if the child is willing to put forth the effort and knows that she has your support.
Be sure to encourage a child’s positive efforts to get along with peers and to find a friend, even when it appears that such attempts are not meeting with success. Remind her of the fine qualities that she has that will add to the friendship when just the right person comes along.
Another reminder is that making just the right friend for her may take some time and not to give up. Help her to see what she has to offer as a friend. For example, you might say: “I really appreciate it when my friends call me and invite me places. It makes me feel welcome and accepted. Even on the times when I am not able to go, I still feel good to know they thought of me. That is why I treat them with kindness and respect, because that is how I want to be treated.”
In my workshops I find it helpful to make a list of what people look for in a friend. You may want to make such a list with your child. After brainstorming it is easy to include such things as:
• Trustworthy
• Kind and compassionate
• Willing to share happy and sad times
• Loyal, will watch my back
• Sense of humor
• Positive attitude, upbeat
• Similar interests
• Fun to be with
• Not be too possessive or needy
• Cooperative
• Enjoys being with me
If you look at the list, almost never does it include psychical attributes, they are all character traits and inner personal skills. If we don’t have those skills, we can work on obtaining them by practicing a little each day until it becomes automatic action. It is this attitude of openness and willingness to share that is communicated to those we would like to be our friends.
The irony is that people, young and old, tend to blame outward appearances for lack of friends, when it is the inward attitudes and character traits that are longed for in friendship. We are not searching for lovely nearly as much as loyalty in a companion and buddy.
When we realize that it is not our big ears, speech impediment or color of skin that stops others from befriending us, as much as it is how we treat others and feel about ourselves, we will have more to offer a friendship. As you encourage making a list of what the child is looking for in a friend, be sure to mention that appearances may be deceiving. She may very well know many in her class who are also looking for just the right person to hang around with.
Hopefully, your child will draw her own conclusions that she is a valuable person and has much to bring to a relationship. And likewise, there may very well be many people who meet the criteria of a friend that she has been overlooking.
It is more empowering for a child to list her own positive qualities that will make her a valuable friend than for you to do it for her. This is her work, but you are the support team. You cannot make your child happy, popular, talented or attractive to other children. If you think you can, you will be setting both of you up for disappointment and a great deal of frustration.
What you can do is offer her suggestions, assistance, opportunities and options. Hopefully, she will recognize the clues of social interaction and ‘click’ with a good group of friends who will support her in her school years and become life long buddies.
How you manage social situations affects the way your children view social interaction. If you have meaningful relationships that add pleasure to your life, they will see that and want to have the same thing.
I also do Confidence Coaching for young adults (8 to 18) Call me for more information.
© 2008 by Judy H. Wright, Parent Educator, Author and international speaker on family relations. Ph: 406.549.9813 You may reprint this article, but please keep the contact information and content intact.
For Free articles and to sign up for the e-zine The Artichoke-finding the heart of the story in the journey of life please go to www.ArtichokePress.com You will also find a full listing of books, workshops, and Free teleclasses held every Thursday on family relationship issues.
For a free eBook on non verbal and verbal communication go to
Are You Looking to Make New Friends? Chummychums Can Make the Process of Making Friends Easier
Vikram kuamr asked:
It is quite often that many people find themselves losing touch with friends as their lives go in different directions. Whether you have moved to a new city or have simply drifted apart from childhood friends, many people have found themselves in need of new friendships. However, it is not that easy to make new friends.
When it comes to making friends, one cannot just walk down the street and introduce yourself to someone you deem to have lots in common to you. It’s not that easy. You can make friends at work or at school but it is ideal to meet people that have interests similar to yours. In turn, you will have a better relationship as you can do the things you mutually like together.
It is ideal to meet people that are a reflection of your own personality. For example, if you are someone who likes to stay in and watch movies, it is not ideal to look for a friend who frequents the nightlife and goes out every other day of the week. If you are a girly girl and likes to go to spas and get manis and pedis, it is better for you to search for someone who likes to do the same.
With the help of technology, it is now a lot easier to make new friends then it was 10 years ago. With all the new social networking sites that are currently available on the internet, making friends has become a lot less difficult.
However, you may want to find a site where all other members are also looking for friendship. It is not ideal to go to a dating site or a regular social network and begin requesting friendship from its members. You want to find a site that is catered specifically for people looking to make new friends.
It is now easy for women in particular to find friendship with other women online. At a website called Chummychums, women can now create profiles detailing all aspects of their personality, upload photos and begin their journey of making friends. They can browse profiles of women in their local area and filter friends out according to their interests. Women have the capability of showing their musical preferences, showing how frequently they enjoy the nightlife, whether or not they have children, and much more.
Here you will find other members looking for new buddies, just as you are. This is very important. Chummychums is also a platform for women to be able to interact and express themselves. Women can participate in forums and discuss issues that are important to them. They can also blog about themselves or any other topic they feel strongly about.
Chummychums provides all the means necessary to make new friends. Girl friends can contact each other via email messages, via chat rooms and even instant messenger. We all recognize that we need friends to share special moments in our lives with. On Chummychums, you will not have a difficult time making friends.
It is quite often that many people find themselves losing touch with friends as their lives go in different directions. Whether you have moved to a new city or have simply drifted apart from childhood friends, many people have found themselves in need of new friendships. However, it is not that easy to make new friends.
When it comes to making friends, one cannot just walk down the street and introduce yourself to someone you deem to have lots in common to you. It’s not that easy. You can make friends at work or at school but it is ideal to meet people that have interests similar to yours. In turn, you will have a better relationship as you can do the things you mutually like together.
It is ideal to meet people that are a reflection of your own personality. For example, if you are someone who likes to stay in and watch movies, it is not ideal to look for a friend who frequents the nightlife and goes out every other day of the week. If you are a girly girl and likes to go to spas and get manis and pedis, it is better for you to search for someone who likes to do the same.
With the help of technology, it is now a lot easier to make new friends then it was 10 years ago. With all the new social networking sites that are currently available on the internet, making friends has become a lot less difficult.
However, you may want to find a site where all other members are also looking for friendship. It is not ideal to go to a dating site or a regular social network and begin requesting friendship from its members. You want to find a site that is catered specifically for people looking to make new friends.
It is now easy for women in particular to find friendship with other women online. At a website called Chummychums, women can now create profiles detailing all aspects of their personality, upload photos and begin their journey of making friends. They can browse profiles of women in their local area and filter friends out according to their interests. Women have the capability of showing their musical preferences, showing how frequently they enjoy the nightlife, whether or not they have children, and much more.
Here you will find other members looking for new buddies, just as you are. This is very important. Chummychums is also a platform for women to be able to interact and express themselves. Women can participate in forums and discuss issues that are important to them. They can also blog about themselves or any other topic they feel strongly about.
Chummychums provides all the means necessary to make new friends. Girl friends can contact each other via email messages, via chat rooms and even instant messenger. We all recognize that we need friends to share special moments in our lives with. On Chummychums, you will not have a difficult time making friends.
Make Friends First before You Date Someone
Ray Shane asked:
There are many lonely hearts out there in this world who are searching for life partners or looking for romantic relationships, but their busy lifestyles don’t permit them the time that is needed to find out and search for such partners and nurture a relationship with them. It is for people like these that the numerous internet dating sites, speed dating sites, romantic dating sites, friendship site and local dating sites have blossomed all over the internet and are doing great business.
All that you need to do is to sign up for a make new friends or romantic dating or speed dating site and create an interesting, peppy and charming profile with numerous attractive photographs of yours. Through these sites, you will get to date many members of the opposite *** and if luck favours, you may find your Mr. Right or Ms. Right.
But the problem with these people who sign up for romantic dating sites or internet dating sites is that they sometimes get so desperate to hook up that they end up making a complete fool of themselves in front of their dates. When you are single and don’t have anyone in your life with whom you want to share everything, you definitely feel unhappy and left out, especially when you see your friends hitched and happy. But don’t let your desperation overpower you.
You have to learn how to take the dating game seriously without showing the seriousness. And you can never become free and easy with the opposite *** unless you become friends with your date first.
Often it has been noticed that people who chat garrulously over the internet dating sites become quite tongue tied and ill at ease, when they actually meet their date in public. This is normal. To tide over this shyness, the best thing is to become friends with your date and treat him/her normally, but with respect as you would do your friend. This will help to break the ice and get the conversation going.
Ideally, even during the online dating period, you should mix with the opposite *** in a friendly manner and share positive vibes with that person. By mixing freely and easily, both of you will get to know each other better and will be able to share your views and opinions. This will help you to judge the other person better and know him/her and very soon you will be able to judge whether your date is perfect as your life partner or not.
And then you can go out with her/him. This is the reason why making friends first before dating someone is a more feasible and clever idea. The unique dating site FriendsorMates.com will be able to help you better in this regard with their huge pool of informative articles.
There are many lonely hearts out there in this world who are searching for life partners or looking for romantic relationships, but their busy lifestyles don’t permit them the time that is needed to find out and search for such partners and nurture a relationship with them. It is for people like these that the numerous internet dating sites, speed dating sites, romantic dating sites, friendship site and local dating sites have blossomed all over the internet and are doing great business.
All that you need to do is to sign up for a make new friends or romantic dating or speed dating site and create an interesting, peppy and charming profile with numerous attractive photographs of yours. Through these sites, you will get to date many members of the opposite *** and if luck favours, you may find your Mr. Right or Ms. Right.
But the problem with these people who sign up for romantic dating sites or internet dating sites is that they sometimes get so desperate to hook up that they end up making a complete fool of themselves in front of their dates. When you are single and don’t have anyone in your life with whom you want to share everything, you definitely feel unhappy and left out, especially when you see your friends hitched and happy. But don’t let your desperation overpower you.
You have to learn how to take the dating game seriously without showing the seriousness. And you can never become free and easy with the opposite *** unless you become friends with your date first.
Often it has been noticed that people who chat garrulously over the internet dating sites become quite tongue tied and ill at ease, when they actually meet their date in public. This is normal. To tide over this shyness, the best thing is to become friends with your date and treat him/her normally, but with respect as you would do your friend. This will help to break the ice and get the conversation going.
Ideally, even during the online dating period, you should mix with the opposite *** in a friendly manner and share positive vibes with that person. By mixing freely and easily, both of you will get to know each other better and will be able to share your views and opinions. This will help you to judge the other person better and know him/her and very soon you will be able to judge whether your date is perfect as your life partner or not.
And then you can go out with her/him. This is the reason why making friends first before dating someone is a more feasible and clever idea. The unique dating site FriendsorMates.com will be able to help you better in this regard with their huge pool of informative articles.
Dating to Make Friends: An Alternative View
Jane Saeman asked:
Friends are not easy to find once you into a working environment. If you have childhood friends around that’s great, but many people move far away from where they grew up, and contact with those they used to confide in becomes increasingly difficult. Finding the time to meet new people, and then spend enough time to get to a level where you trust them enough to confide in isn’t easy, especially if you’re also looking for a partner and using your free time to date.
If you are someone who feels more comfortable with the opposite sex, then dating is a great way of making friends. There are very few people who date only one person and then commit to them for the rest of their lives. The usual scenario is that you date a number of people who have quite a lot of things in common with you, until you find the one that you really connect with on a deeper level. The fact that you have been on a personal, if not intimate, level with the people you date puts you in a good position to transition these once potential dates into friendships.
There’s a problem with this in that any future people you, or your ex date, go out with may not like the relationship and try to break it. This makes the friendship a little precarious, but as time passes, the bond of friendship and trust becomes one that both of you will be reluctant to break — both of you appreciating what you get from the platonic relationship — and so it becomes more secure. Even so, if you, or your friend, find a partner that they intend to make a permanent fixture in their lives your friendship together may have to be severed in order for that to happen.
Even if you’re not really interested in having a deeper relationship with someone, there’s nothing to stop you going out on casual dates. There are plenty of other people out there who enjoy having one-on-one time with another person without it having to lead to a “serious relationship”. You may get a reputation for being a habitual dater, but that’s just a label that someone who dates looking for a partner puts on it. There’s nothing wrong in using the dating scene as a social meeting arena! Make your intentions known up front and you’ll get to meet a number of people who have similar interests to your own, but aren’t going to expect anything other than friendship in return for the time spent together.
If a serious relationship isn’t what you’re looking for, but you would like to find a few more friends, trying some casual dating and you’ll meet some interesting people. You aren’t guaranteed to build a true friendship with any or all of them, but at the very least, you’ll have a good time exploring the possibility!
Friends are not easy to find once you into a working environment. If you have childhood friends around that’s great, but many people move far away from where they grew up, and contact with those they used to confide in becomes increasingly difficult. Finding the time to meet new people, and then spend enough time to get to a level where you trust them enough to confide in isn’t easy, especially if you’re also looking for a partner and using your free time to date.
If you are someone who feels more comfortable with the opposite sex, then dating is a great way of making friends. There are very few people who date only one person and then commit to them for the rest of their lives. The usual scenario is that you date a number of people who have quite a lot of things in common with you, until you find the one that you really connect with on a deeper level. The fact that you have been on a personal, if not intimate, level with the people you date puts you in a good position to transition these once potential dates into friendships.
There’s a problem with this in that any future people you, or your ex date, go out with may not like the relationship and try to break it. This makes the friendship a little precarious, but as time passes, the bond of friendship and trust becomes one that both of you will be reluctant to break — both of you appreciating what you get from the platonic relationship — and so it becomes more secure. Even so, if you, or your friend, find a partner that they intend to make a permanent fixture in their lives your friendship together may have to be severed in order for that to happen.
Even if you’re not really interested in having a deeper relationship with someone, there’s nothing to stop you going out on casual dates. There are plenty of other people out there who enjoy having one-on-one time with another person without it having to lead to a “serious relationship”. You may get a reputation for being a habitual dater, but that’s just a label that someone who dates looking for a partner puts on it. There’s nothing wrong in using the dating scene as a social meeting arena! Make your intentions known up front and you’ll get to meet a number of people who have similar interests to your own, but aren’t going to expect anything other than friendship in return for the time spent together.
If a serious relationship isn’t what you’re looking for, but you would like to find a few more friends, trying some casual dating and you’ll meet some interesting people. You aren’t guaranteed to build a true friendship with any or all of them, but at the very least, you’ll have a good time exploring the possibility!
How to Make Friends for Life — Three Steps Towards Friendship
Sean Carter asked:
Friendship and friends continue to remain central to our lives. The relationship that we share with our friends is grounded in a mutual concern as our friends help us in shaping up our personalities as well. Even in this age of online social networking and ecards, the need of expanding the network of friends, whether online or offline remains a primary concern for people. We may have a very vague understanding of what makes a friend but we all want to have a good many number of friends around us.
Research has shown that the quality and nature of your friends are one of the key influencing factors in achieving happiness, self esteem, and satisfaction. Friends often affect the health and energy of a person as well. More and more people are increasingly turning towards their friendsfor for support and mutual sharing rather than communicating to their relatives; and this sociological phenomenon has escalated the desire to make more friends. Though friendship is an impulsive relationship developed between two autonomous individuals marked by a voluntary, emotional and mutual concern, but there are certain steps, which, if implemented can win you friends or at least help you get close to those whom you want to make your friends.
The first step to make friends with someone is to make them like you. If they don’t like you in the first place, it is unlikely that they’ll be eager to become your friends. To let someone know that you are genuinely interested in them, simple gestures like a little smile and calling him by his name can lay the basic foundation. To make the other person feel important you need to be a good listener and encourage the other person to talk. Give your honest and sincere opinion but do not overtly criticize or make fun of him or her.
The second step of making someone your friend is to develop a mutual consideration between each other. You need to share his or her perspective and for that it is necessary for you to develop an inclination to see things from the other person’s point of view. To become best of friends you must show a genuine concern and consideration for your friend’s desires and opinions.
The third and final step towards friendship is to show your unconditional support and encouragement towards your friend. Moreover, you also need to be very clear about your expectations from your friend. If what you expect from the person you want to befriend, matches with what that person can and want to contribute in friendship, the developing friendship between you and your friend is assured to flourish, making both of you gratified with mutual emotional bonding.
Friendship has overwhelming significance on both social and individual level. Friendship doesn’t only provide us with emotional as well as utilitarian support but it also helps us to improve our personal identities. So it is quite natural to feel the urge to reach out and make new friends, expanding your friend’s circle. Using the internet and the associated services like free friendship ecards come as a natural extension to this escalating aspiration. Friendship remains familiar yet quite ambiguous for our deeper understanding of this elusive relationship but then again, friends remain the most important ingredients in the recipe of life!
Friendship and friends continue to remain central to our lives. The relationship that we share with our friends is grounded in a mutual concern as our friends help us in shaping up our personalities as well. Even in this age of online social networking and ecards, the need of expanding the network of friends, whether online or offline remains a primary concern for people. We may have a very vague understanding of what makes a friend but we all want to have a good many number of friends around us.
Research has shown that the quality and nature of your friends are one of the key influencing factors in achieving happiness, self esteem, and satisfaction. Friends often affect the health and energy of a person as well. More and more people are increasingly turning towards their friendsfor for support and mutual sharing rather than communicating to their relatives; and this sociological phenomenon has escalated the desire to make more friends. Though friendship is an impulsive relationship developed between two autonomous individuals marked by a voluntary, emotional and mutual concern, but there are certain steps, which, if implemented can win you friends or at least help you get close to those whom you want to make your friends.
The first step to make friends with someone is to make them like you. If they don’t like you in the first place, it is unlikely that they’ll be eager to become your friends. To let someone know that you are genuinely interested in them, simple gestures like a little smile and calling him by his name can lay the basic foundation. To make the other person feel important you need to be a good listener and encourage the other person to talk. Give your honest and sincere opinion but do not overtly criticize or make fun of him or her.
The second step of making someone your friend is to develop a mutual consideration between each other. You need to share his or her perspective and for that it is necessary for you to develop an inclination to see things from the other person’s point of view. To become best of friends you must show a genuine concern and consideration for your friend’s desires and opinions.
The third and final step towards friendship is to show your unconditional support and encouragement towards your friend. Moreover, you also need to be very clear about your expectations from your friend. If what you expect from the person you want to befriend, matches with what that person can and want to contribute in friendship, the developing friendship between you and your friend is assured to flourish, making both of you gratified with mutual emotional bonding.
Friendship has overwhelming significance on both social and individual level. Friendship doesn’t only provide us with emotional as well as utilitarian support but it also helps us to improve our personal identities. So it is quite natural to feel the urge to reach out and make new friends, expanding your friend’s circle. Using the internet and the associated services like free friendship ecards come as a natural extension to this escalating aspiration. Friendship remains familiar yet quite ambiguous for our deeper understanding of this elusive relationship but then again, friends remain the most important ingredients in the recipe of life!
How to Make Friends With Your Loyal Customers
July 29, 2009 by admin
Filed under Uncategorized
Kaitlyn Miller asked:
You can’t make friends without talking to people. Even in today’s computer age, where people make “friends” online, they still interact in some way. As a businessperson, it is important for you to “make friends” with your most loyal customers. Doing so will not only benefit you through increased sales and positive word of mouth, but will also make your customers happier to be a part of your growth. That, in turn, will lead to more loyal customers and, of course, more profits. But the only way to enter into this type of relationship with your loyal customers is to talk to them.
Ask for feedback
You want to get as much feedback from your customers as possible, both positive and negative. On your product packages, ask for feedback and provide contact information so customers can reach you. When you design your next business card printing, include more than just your phone number and email address: explicitly ask the recipients to get in touch with you and tell you about their experiences with your company.
Make it clear that you are asking for all types of feedback, even if it’s not good. Customers who can give you examples of shortfalls in your business are the most valuable of all. You can’t fix something if you don’t know it’s broken.
Use the feedback in your advertising
The feedback you receive from customers is only valuable if you use it. Fix the things that customers have complained about, and emphasize the things that they like. When you do a flyer printing, use it to put your company’s greatest strengths on display. Even better, put customer testimonials on them. You will probably have plenty of loyal customers who would be more than happy to let you use their positive reflections in an ad or flyer. Customer testimonials can be tremendously effective.
Keep your loyal customers engaged
Once you have used customer feedback to alter your marketing strategies, don’t stop there. Keep interacting with these customers; keep “making friends” with them. Send them postcards asking for more feedback. A good idea is to offer your loyal customers special offers or bonuses, simply for being loyal customers. This can do a great amount of good, as it gives those customers a sense of privilege and honor. They may end up spreading the word about your company through personal experiences, which is the most valuable advertisement of all.
Invite your friends to a party
At some point, you may want to invite your loyal customers to a gathering with you and the leaders of your company. This can be a good way to let them know how important they are to you, and to reward them with an exclusive chance to interact with the decision makers in the company. It can also increase sales, as these customers are very likely to buy more of your product before, during, and after the meeting.
As a business, the best friends you can make are your customers. Never forget that they are the ones who will make or break your company.
You can’t make friends without talking to people. Even in today’s computer age, where people make “friends” online, they still interact in some way. As a businessperson, it is important for you to “make friends” with your most loyal customers. Doing so will not only benefit you through increased sales and positive word of mouth, but will also make your customers happier to be a part of your growth. That, in turn, will lead to more loyal customers and, of course, more profits. But the only way to enter into this type of relationship with your loyal customers is to talk to them.
Ask for feedback
You want to get as much feedback from your customers as possible, both positive and negative. On your product packages, ask for feedback and provide contact information so customers can reach you. When you design your next business card printing, include more than just your phone number and email address: explicitly ask the recipients to get in touch with you and tell you about their experiences with your company.
Make it clear that you are asking for all types of feedback, even if it’s not good. Customers who can give you examples of shortfalls in your business are the most valuable of all. You can’t fix something if you don’t know it’s broken.
Use the feedback in your advertising
The feedback you receive from customers is only valuable if you use it. Fix the things that customers have complained about, and emphasize the things that they like. When you do a flyer printing, use it to put your company’s greatest strengths on display. Even better, put customer testimonials on them. You will probably have plenty of loyal customers who would be more than happy to let you use their positive reflections in an ad or flyer. Customer testimonials can be tremendously effective.
Keep your loyal customers engaged
Once you have used customer feedback to alter your marketing strategies, don’t stop there. Keep interacting with these customers; keep “making friends” with them. Send them postcards asking for more feedback. A good idea is to offer your loyal customers special offers or bonuses, simply for being loyal customers. This can do a great amount of good, as it gives those customers a sense of privilege and honor. They may end up spreading the word about your company through personal experiences, which is the most valuable advertisement of all.
Invite your friends to a party
At some point, you may want to invite your loyal customers to a gathering with you and the leaders of your company. This can be a good way to let them know how important they are to you, and to reward them with an exclusive chance to interact with the decision makers in the company. It can also increase sales, as these customers are very likely to buy more of your product before, during, and after the meeting.
As a business, the best friends you can make are your customers. Never forget that they are the ones who will make or break your company.
Trend of Making Friends and Romance With Online Dating
Rebecca Walker asked:
Online dating websites create the opportunity for people to meet potential partners and friends online. Although many people go out specifically looking to find romance, the general trend is that most people upload a profile to a social networking website and meet partners online in much the same way that you would offline. When you go out of your way to find a date, it is often much harder than leaving it to come along naturally when you meet someone who you click with. When you meet someone and immediately show an interest in them, it can be difficult to really get to know each other when there is a pressure that your relationship has to materialize into one of romance. When you take a more laid back approach, you can remain friends with some people, and consider dating those that you feel you have made a bond with.
Online social networking sites are also great to meet potential partners because of the relative anonymity that you can maintain from the outset. The same goes with meeting friends as well; you can talk to them without having to share your telephone number, address and other personal information which is obviously necessary for a relationship offline. Therefore choosing not to email them back or even not to respond in the first place is perfectly acceptable etiquette and you will not have to worry about any consequences that could prevail.
On the other hand, when you do meet someone that you like, the anonymity offered by the internet is potentially less favorable – you have no way to verify they are who they say they are. That is why when you meet someone you met online for the first time, it is best to suggest a meeting in a busy place, and to consider suggesting that you both bring friends along with you. Not only will this be safer, it will also be less uncomfortable since you will both have people there that you know.
Many people who are nervous offline find meeting people online much easier, and that can be true of meeting friends as well. Despite that, you should keep in mind that should you wish for your online relationship to flourish offline you need to remain true to who you are, and the way that you are comfortable of acting and conducting yourself. Although you may be tempted to tell white lies in order to entice the person to like you more, it is very important that you stay true to yourself.
When you go on a dating site at first, you may have problems trying to find people to talk with at first since you have just started out. One great way to do this is to search the site to find people that you think you have the potential to bond with. If your offline friends participate as well, you could start talking with their friends, and friends of their friends, and so on. Over time you can be sure to meet great new people from all around the world.
Online dating websites create the opportunity for people to meet potential partners and friends online. Although many people go out specifically looking to find romance, the general trend is that most people upload a profile to a social networking website and meet partners online in much the same way that you would offline. When you go out of your way to find a date, it is often much harder than leaving it to come along naturally when you meet someone who you click with. When you meet someone and immediately show an interest in them, it can be difficult to really get to know each other when there is a pressure that your relationship has to materialize into one of romance. When you take a more laid back approach, you can remain friends with some people, and consider dating those that you feel you have made a bond with.
Online social networking sites are also great to meet potential partners because of the relative anonymity that you can maintain from the outset. The same goes with meeting friends as well; you can talk to them without having to share your telephone number, address and other personal information which is obviously necessary for a relationship offline. Therefore choosing not to email them back or even not to respond in the first place is perfectly acceptable etiquette and you will not have to worry about any consequences that could prevail.
On the other hand, when you do meet someone that you like, the anonymity offered by the internet is potentially less favorable – you have no way to verify they are who they say they are. That is why when you meet someone you met online for the first time, it is best to suggest a meeting in a busy place, and to consider suggesting that you both bring friends along with you. Not only will this be safer, it will also be less uncomfortable since you will both have people there that you know.
Many people who are nervous offline find meeting people online much easier, and that can be true of meeting friends as well. Despite that, you should keep in mind that should you wish for your online relationship to flourish offline you need to remain true to who you are, and the way that you are comfortable of acting and conducting yourself. Although you may be tempted to tell white lies in order to entice the person to like you more, it is very important that you stay true to yourself.
When you go on a dating site at first, you may have problems trying to find people to talk with at first since you have just started out. One great way to do this is to search the site to find people that you think you have the potential to bond with. If your offline friends participate as well, you could start talking with their friends, and friends of their friends, and so on. Over time you can be sure to meet great new people from all around the world.
Tips on How to Make Friends
May 18, 2009 by admin
Filed under Relationships
Francis Githinji asked:
Tips on how to make friends will guide you on how you can go about looking for people who can compliment your life. Life is all about compliments and people who make your life better or worthwhile are worth being your friends. It is a high time you stop making friends out of luck or speculation. To make friends, you need to plan for it and know exactly what you want. Many times, people come in our lives and we have no otherwise than to be close to them. It is vital to realize that you are under no obligation to be in a friendship with someone you do not even like. Therefore, friendship is a choice you make and, you need to trust yourself to make the right decision. Before you even know how to make good friends, you need to know some of the things that can give you an edge to make a lasting relationship.
The first thing is you; your character and your values. Before you meet anyone, you need to establish that there is no way you can meet great friends if you are not great. In other words, people will get what they deserve because they attract those who are similar to them. Since we all want to have great friends in out lives, we need to look for ways to become what we want. To make friends, you need to get rid of the clutter and junk in your system. Look at whatever is holding you back and decide to become better. If you deal with the issue of jealousy or selfishness, acknowledge your flaws and seek ways to overcome. To make friends, you must learn to appreciate the role of friends and the value they have in our lives. Many are going through lives saying that they do not need anybody. To the contrary, we need friends and they need us. The business of life cannot exist without true friendship. It is vital for you to notice that I’m not talking about perfection; there is no perfection.
To make friends, you need to look at things from a positive perspective. It is no wonder that most people who do not have friends are grumpy and full of negativity. In life, whatever you dream will come to be and, when you envision prosperity and success in regard to friendship, your dream will come true. After you have dealt with yourself, you will come to the easy part. When you notice potential friends, be open and friendly. This is the way we all make good friends and there is nothing complicated about it. Even if they do not wish to talk to you, you have nothing to loose; you want friends who are open minded and fun after all. Sometimes, we do not get what we expect and our hopes and expectation in friends can be watered down. Take such experiences to strengthen your will and, to realize how true friendship is important. Chances are that you will find friends who are just like you.
Tips on how to make friends will guide you on how you can go about looking for people who can compliment your life. Life is all about compliments and people who make your life better or worthwhile are worth being your friends. It is a high time you stop making friends out of luck or speculation. To make friends, you need to plan for it and know exactly what you want. Many times, people come in our lives and we have no otherwise than to be close to them. It is vital to realize that you are under no obligation to be in a friendship with someone you do not even like. Therefore, friendship is a choice you make and, you need to trust yourself to make the right decision. Before you even know how to make good friends, you need to know some of the things that can give you an edge to make a lasting relationship.
The first thing is you; your character and your values. Before you meet anyone, you need to establish that there is no way you can meet great friends if you are not great. In other words, people will get what they deserve because they attract those who are similar to them. Since we all want to have great friends in out lives, we need to look for ways to become what we want. To make friends, you need to get rid of the clutter and junk in your system. Look at whatever is holding you back and decide to become better. If you deal with the issue of jealousy or selfishness, acknowledge your flaws and seek ways to overcome. To make friends, you must learn to appreciate the role of friends and the value they have in our lives. Many are going through lives saying that they do not need anybody. To the contrary, we need friends and they need us. The business of life cannot exist without true friendship. It is vital for you to notice that I’m not talking about perfection; there is no perfection.
To make friends, you need to look at things from a positive perspective. It is no wonder that most people who do not have friends are grumpy and full of negativity. In life, whatever you dream will come to be and, when you envision prosperity and success in regard to friendship, your dream will come true. After you have dealt with yourself, you will come to the easy part. When you notice potential friends, be open and friendly. This is the way we all make good friends and there is nothing complicated about it. Even if they do not wish to talk to you, you have nothing to loose; you want friends who are open minded and fun after all. Sometimes, we do not get what we expect and our hopes and expectation in friends can be watered down. Take such experiences to strengthen your will and, to realize how true friendship is important. Chances are that you will find friends who are just like you.
